Sunday, November 18, 2007

When powers of tyranny approach to grapple us by the throat, when they reach out to make us blind, when they want us mute and deaf, they defy the nation of its most trusted and honest source of information; that is, the independent media. Today, around a 100 LUMS faculty members and students gathered in the evening to register their protest against the actions of the Government to enforce a closure on GEO & ARY in a candle light procession, naming it "Light the way to freedom". Symbolising the new "Social Movement", the speakers at the protest underlined the fact that it was not possible without the intiatives of the independent media especially GEO and ARY, amongst the upper echolon of the news channels in our country. The Students & faculty members remarked that a new social movement is underway, and the independent media had a significant role to play in shaping it. It was stated that the government, fearing that the media would fuel this social reawakening, was taking steps to tame them. But, in the time to come, it will be proven that these very steps to curb the access to information to the Pakistani public would be the catalyst of unprecedented social awareness and progressive change.